The best of Unexplored Albania

About the destination: Tirana is by far the largest city in Albania and its administrative, cultural, economic and industrial centre. Today it's an interesting and captivating city, with a lively nightlife. Tirana is where old and new Albania meet. There's an impressive Ottoman mosque and its towering minaret near Skanderbeg Square, the main square of Tirana. The construction of the Ethem Bey Mosque began in 1798 and was completed in 1821. Closed under the communist regime, the mosque reopened as a place of worship in 1991. Look at the frescoes outside and in the porch depicting trees, waterfalls, Ottoman houses and bridges, motifs rarely seen in Islamic art. The centre of Tirana is a delightful area of wide tree-lined avenues and large squares, populated by unforgettable brutalist architecture and at times extremely colourful. It also has some great examples of heroic and socialist realism, like the huge mural on the facade of the National History Museum. Tirana is a captivating city and the capital of a fascinating country. It's very relaxing, with friendly and hospitable people, some great restaurants and a lively nightlife. You can practically see everything the city has to offer in a day or two, but it's a great place to start exploring nearby places, like Durres and Kruja.

About the destination: Berat (pronunciation Albanian: [ˈbɛ:rat], form definite Albanian: Berati), is an naouú mór is mó de dhaonra de Phoblacht na hAlbáine. Is í an chathair príomhchathair Chontae Berat ina timpeall, ceann amháin de 12 chontae bunúsach na tíre. Trí aer, tá sé 71 ciliméadar (44 míle) ó thuaidh de Gjirokastër, 70 ciliméadar (43 míle) ó thiar de Korçë, 70 ciliméadar (43 míle) ó dheas de Tirana agus 33 ciliméadar (21 míle) ó oirthear de Fier. Geografach, tá Berat suite sa deisceart na tíre timpeallaithe ag sléibhte agus cnocanna lena n-áirítear Tomorr ar an oirthear a d'fhógair na náisiúnaigh mar pháirc náisiúnta. Ar fad 161 ciliméadar (100 míle) téann an Abhainn Osum tríd an chathair sular fágann sé isteach san Abhainn Seman laistigh den Phláinín Myzeqe.

About the destination: Saranda (Sarandë) is a small city located in southern Albania, near the border with northern Greece. It is a destination that in recent years has become fashionable in Albania due to the recent arrival of several cruise ships to its port. A quiet city, well located, that always has something to do, with cafes and terraces open all year round and with a Mediterranean climate to enjoy its beaches. Not surprisingly, it was chosen as the stopover for their Greek island cruises. (English (Ireland) translation would remain the same as the text is already in English.)

About the destination: Albania is one of the last secrets to be discovered for tourism and travellers, a country with immense natural and spiritual wealth, which spent more than 50 years of the 20th century completely isolated from the rest of the world. With the border with Montenegro just 20 kilometres from Ulcinj, we didn't hesitate to include a visit to Shkoder in our itinerary, one of the most important and influential cities in Albania, in fact, it's the second largest in the country.

About the destination: Tirana is by far the largest city in Albania and its administrative, cultural, economic and industrial centre. Today it's an interesting and captivating city, with a lively nightlife. Tirana is where old and new Albania meet. There's an impressive Ottoman mosque and its towering minaret near Skanderbeg Square, the main square of Tirana. The construction of the Ethem Bey Mosque began in 1798 and was completed in 1821. Closed under the communist regime, the mosque reopened as a place of worship in 1991. Look at the frescoes outside and in the porch depicting trees, waterfalls, Ottoman houses and bridges, motifs rarely seen in Islamic art. The centre of Tirana is a delightful area of wide tree-lined avenues and large squares, populated by unforgettable brutalist architecture and at times extremely colourful. It also has some great examples of heroic and socialist realism, like the huge mural on the facade of the National History Museum. Tirana is a captivating city and the capital of a fascinating country. It's very relaxing, with friendly and hospitable people, some great restaurants and a lively nightlife. You can practically see everything the city has to offer in a day or two, but it's a great place to start exploring nearby places, like Durres and Kruja.